Dutch troops in Iraq will be relieved in January and the replacement troops will start transferring power to the Iraqis in March. The troops will gradually withdraw from cities and villages. They are currently carrying out patrols, engaged in the provision of armed escorts to convoys or manning surveillance posts in the region.
Meanwhile, it has been estimated that there are between several hundred to thousands of extremists and Al Qaeda volunteers in Al Muthanna. There are also between 3,000 and 4,000 former soldiers of Saddam Hussein's Republican Guard in the province. But the marines will soon be reinforced by 600 Japanese troops after the Asian nation's Cabinet made an historic decision this week to deploy the soldiers. The Japanese will mainly be involved in humanitarian projects. [Copyright Expatica News 2003] Full story: http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=1&story_id=309 1
